It's way too early to even pretend to guess at this. The 2012 GOP primary had a new frontrunner every week, and I'm pretty sure an LED clock powered by a potato was in front of Mitt Romney at one point. The way you win the primary in 2016 is to sit down and shut up for three years, because any and all derp can and will be used against you both by Republicans, for not being derpy enough, and Democrats, for being too derpy.

By Thanksgiving at the latest Ted Cruz will be just another RINO insufficiently conservative enough to earn the support of the overwhelming majority that never seems to show up outside the echo chamber and there will be a new champion whose photo will have bleary ghost Reagans, Lincolns, Washingtons and Norquii photoshopped into.

Cruz wasn't lying or even delusional when he called the result of the debt ceiling crisis "a tremendous victory". He got exactly what he wanted: he's the new Sarah Palin; only instead of an over his head rube, he is an evil genius.

Barry Lyndon's Annuity Cheque:It's way too early to even pretend to guess at this. The 2012 GOP primary had a new frontrunner every week, and I'm pretty sure an LED clock powered by a potato was in front of Mitt Romney at one point. The way you win the primary in 2016 is to sit down and shut up for three years, because any and all derp can and will be used against you both by Republicans, for not being derpy enough, and Democrats, for being too derpy.

You are so right. 2014 is going to be a circus. GOP vs. TP, electric boogaloo. That little war is going to shape 2016 in ways impossible to guess at this point.

gilgigamesh:Cruz wasn't lying or even delusional when he called the result of the debt ceiling crisis "a tremendous victory". He got exactly what he wanted: he's the new Sarah Palin; only instead of an over his head rube, he is an evil genius.

The problem for all of is that Cruz is actually a Senator and he not stupid by a long shot. Palin is a chucklehead with no power that serves up a never ending supply of things to point and laugh at.

gilgigamesh:Cruz wasn't lying or even delusional when he called the result of the debt ceiling crisis "a tremendous victory". He got exactly what he wanted: he's the new Sarah Palin; only instead of an over his head rube, he is an evil genius.

I can't imagine that his career of penning off-the-top-of-his head bestsellers has anything but long legs at this point. He's locked in a hard-core fan base, whether he remains in office or not, for at least a decade or more.

Diogenes:Fine. Let Ted and Teabaggers "win." They'll be useless. Their sugar daddy financiers won't tolerate them farking around with the economy (and therefore, their own bottom lines).

That's his big problem now, of course. But he got what he wanted out of that, it served its purpose, so he has no reason to repeat it.

I imagine he is planning to use his base to destroy his opposition until the money guys have no choice but to support him. He's hoping that by 2016, he can convince them he's learned and grown. Certainly by then tempers will have cooled.

factoryconnection:gilgigamesh: Cruz wasn't lying or even delusional when he called the result of the debt ceiling crisis "a tremendous victory". He got exactly what he wanted: he's the new Sarah Palin; only instead of an over his head rube, he is an evil genius.

I can't imagine that his career of penning off-the-top-of-his head bestsellers has anything but long legs at this point. He's locked in a hard-core fan base, whether he remains in office or not, for at least a decade or more.

After the debt ceiling crisis resolved, he went straight to Iowa. I don't think it was to meet with publishers.

sammyk:Barry Lyndon's Annuity Cheque: It's way too early to even pretend to guess at this. The 2012 GOP primary had a new frontrunner every week, and I'm pretty sure an LED clock powered by a potato was in front of Mitt Romney at one point. The way you win the primary in 2016 is to sit down and shut up for three years, because any and all derp can and will be used against you both by Republicans, for not being derpy enough, and Democrats, for being too derpy.

You are so right. 2014 is going to be a circus. GOP vs. TP, electric boogaloo. That little war is going to shape 2016 in ways impossible to guess at this point.

There is one thing that is easily predictable at this point, either the GOP shuffles off the the Tea Party's mortal coil or they'll never seen the inside of Pennsylvania Ave ever again.

Diogenes:Fine. Let Ted and Teabaggers "win." They'll be useless. Their sugar daddy financiers won't tolerate them farking around with the economy (and therefore, their own bottom lines).

He was following their orders. His wife works at Goldman Sachs. Shes an investment counselor that specializes in shorts and he cant go to jail for insider trading. They can do this maneuver once a quarter for maximum profits.

IdBeCrazyIf:sammyk: Barry Lyndon's Annuity Cheque: It's way too early to even pretend to guess at this. The 2012 GOP primary had a new frontrunner every week, and I'm pretty sure an LED clock powered by a potato was in front of Mitt Romney at one point. The way you win the primary in 2016 is to sit down and shut up for three years, because any and all derp can and will be used against you both by Republicans, for not being derpy enough, and Democrats, for being too derpy.

You are so right. 2014 is going to be a circus. GOP vs. TP, electric boogaloo. That little war is going to shape 2016 in ways impossible to guess at this point.

There is one thing that is easily predictable at this point, either the GOP shuffles off the the Tea Party's mortal coil or they'll never seen the inside of Pennsylvania Ave ever again.

I dont see how they can shuffle it off. The Tea party is the GOP now. All they can do is try to piss off enough of them that they leave on their own but that leaves the GOP a hollow husk. The establishment GOP can't possibly compete in funding campaigns now that we have Super Pacs. Its all very Shakespearean. The party is being eviscerated because of Citizen's United. It never occurred to them that their weapon could be used against them. The TPers dont need establishment money and they have so much momentum....

gilgigamesh:After the debt ceiling crisis resolved, he went straight to Iowa. I don't think it was to meet with publishers.

Yeah, he can be our next, esteemed Iowa Straw Poll winner, just like, umm... what's her name? Or he could actually win the Iowa caucus and ride it straight to the, wait who won that in 2012 and what's he been up to?

However I wasn't questioning that he's using this as a Presidential run pillar, but no matter what he will sell A LOT of books. That's what Hermann Cain did, and he didn't even have to give a sh*t about being president in the first place.

Barry Lyndon's Annuity Cheque:It's way too early to even pretend to guess at this. The 2012 GOP primary had a new frontrunner every week, and I'm pretty sure an LED clock powered by a potato was in front of Mitt Romney at one point. The way you win the primary in 2016 is to sit down and shut up for three years, because any and all derp can and will be used against you both by Republicans, for not being derpy enough, and Democrats, for being too derpy.

Romney was always our guy. We tried out all his challengers during a game of weekly musical chairs and none could unseat him. So we went with him. He was the best we had.

gilgigamesh:Cruz wasn't lying or even delusional when he called the result of the debt ceiling crisis "a tremendous victory". He got exactly what he wanted: he's the new Sarah Palin; only instead of an over his head rube, he is an evil genius.

SlothB77:gilgigamesh: Cruz wasn't lying or even delusional when he called the result of the debt ceiling crisis "a tremendous victory". He got exactly what he wanted: he's the new Sarah Palin; only instead of an over his head rube, he is an evil genius.

SlothB77:gilgigamesh: Cruz wasn't lying or even delusional when he called the result of the debt ceiling crisis "a tremendous victory". He got exactly what he wanted: he's the new Sarah Palin; only instead of an over his head rube, he is an evil genius.

So supporters like me are his pawns?

Bingo!

Plus he and his wife made brazillions shorting the market so now hes an even wealthier evil genius. I expect we'll hear the announcement about his new weather machine soon.

SlothB77:gilgigamesh: Cruz wasn't lying or even delusional when he called the result of the debt ceiling crisis "a tremendous victory". He got exactly what he wanted: he's the new Sarah Palin; only instead of an over his head rube, he is an evil genius.

So supporters like me are his pawns?

Do you really support him, or do you just support what he claims to stand for?

When I strip him of politics, all I see is an unrestrained narcissistic egotist. A Pied Piper in a sense.

SlothB77:A long way out, but right now for me it is a two-man race for the Republican presidential nomination for 2016:

Chris Christie and Ted Cruz.

I don't think one is more likely to get the nomination than the other. I think Christie would have a better chance of winning a presidential election against a democrat than Cruz would.

Christie is terrified of teh gheys. I dont know how he finds the balls to get out of bed each day knowing he might inadvertently shake one's hand. Im not sure how thats going to play out. I guess the GOPers love homophobia so it might help in the primary but if hes going to be appealing to the base I dont see anyway that he can out derp Cruz.

SlothB77:A long way out, but right now for me it is a two-man race for the Republican presidential nomination for 2016:

Chris Christie and Ted Cruz.

I don't think one is more likely to get the nomination than the other. I think Christie would have a better chance of winning a presidential election against a democrat than Cruz would.

The traditional pattern would make Paul Ryan the most likely nominee. Ted Cruz has zero chance of winning (that is why I would like to see him get nominated). Christie is too sane for the tea baggers. They need someone like Romney to try and bridge both factions and proceed to lose terribly.

gilgigamesh:Cruz wasn't lying or even delusional when he called the result of the debt ceiling crisis "a tremendous victory". He got exactly what he wanted: he's the new Sarah Palin; only instead of an over his head rube, he is an evil genius.

This.

He is smarter than Palin and I have to assume he knows that he'll never be president. But he has probably figured out how to make more money from the nomination than Palin ever did. She did her reality shows and worked for Fox for a bit but was not smart enough to make it last. Cruz had a good shot at becoming the first hispanic on a main party ticket. He'll turn that into a couple of book deals and a lot of paid speeches... he may even do the fox news (or some other conservative outfit) "journalism" thing w/o farking it up like palin. He'll probably also build up other business contacts for himself and his rich wife.

quickdraw:The TPers dont need establishment money and they have so much momentum....

TP pissed of a lot of big money. The kid gloves are going to be off for teaderpers playing the primary game. The GOP isn't going to take it lightly anymore and I have a feeling Wall St paid attention to the no votes on the CR/Debt ceiling. If I were establishment GOP I'd prefer losing a seat to a dem than a TP lunatic that's only going to harm the party further.

They are truly lost in the forest. At least some of them have to want to get out alive.

kbronsito:gilgigamesh: Cruz wasn't lying or even delusional when he called the result of the debt ceiling crisis "a tremendous victory". He got exactly what he wanted: he's the new Sarah Palin; only instead of an over his head rube, he is an evil genius.

This.

He is smarter than Palin...

That can be said of anyone. LOL. The point I made is that even truly dumb people (Palin, Beck, Bachman) can manipulate the mouth breathers of the tea party and play them like a fiddle. Imagine what someone as smart as Cruz can do with them.

As a frequenter of FreeRepublic to nourish my thirst for schadenfreude I must say I haven't seen so many threads about one person since the halcyon days of Saint Sarah. I can assure you that Ted Cruz is nothing to worry about, as I've watched the Tea Party sway politicians from Allen West, Sarah Palin, Notawitch, etc. into realizing that life as a demagogue is much more profitable than actually accomplishing anything in government. I think I'm more excited about Ted Cruz than the Tea Party is. He's exactly the source of Republican Tears of Impotent Rage that will sustain me for years to come. Cruz 2016!

quickdraw:Diogenes: Fine. Let Ted and Teabaggers "win." They'll be useless. Their sugar daddy financiers won't tolerate them farking around with the economy (and therefore, their own bottom lines).

He was following their orders. His wife works at Goldman Sachs. Shes an investment counselor that specializes in shorts and he cant go to jail for insider trading. They can do this maneuver once a quarter for maximum profits.

So the Tea Party as elaborate scheme to pump and dump the investments market.

mrshowrules:SlothB77: A long way out, but right now for me it is a two-man race for the Republican presidential nomination for 2016:

Chris Christie and Ted Cruz.

I don't think one is more likely to get the nomination than the other. I think Christie would have a better chance of winning a presidential election against a democrat than Cruz would.

The traditional pattern would make Paul Ryan the most likely nominee. Ted Cruz has zero chance of winning (that is why I would like to see him get nominated). Christie is too sane for the tea baggers. They need someone like Romney to try and bridge both factions and proceed to lose terribly.

The traditional pattern favors Santorum. He's also been keeping quiet during this fiscal circus... probably to avoid arming his opponents.

SlothB77:Romney was always our guy. We tried out all his challengers during a game of weekly musical chairs and none could unseat him. So we went with him. He was the best we had.

Like the WaPo, I'm willing to bet you'll get to choose between Paul Ryan, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Scott Walker. Good luck with that. Walker is probably your best choice, but the derpstorm will rail against him.

clkeagle:mrshowrules: SlothB77: A long way out, but right now for me it is a two-man race for the Republican presidential nomination for 2016:

Chris Christie and Ted Cruz.

I don't think one is more likely to get the nomination than the other. I think Christie would have a better chance of winning a presidential election against a democrat than Cruz would.

The traditional pattern would make Paul Ryan the most likely nominee. Ted Cruz has zero chance of winning (that is why I would like to see him get nominated). Christie is too sane for the tea baggers. They need someone like Romney to try and bridge both factions and proceed to lose terribly.

The traditional pattern favors Santorum. He's also been keeping quiet during this fiscal circus... probably to avoid arming his opponents.

My mistake. The fact that he is staying quiet right now shows that he is not a complete idiot.

Generation_D:quickdraw: Diogenes: Fine. Let Ted and Teabaggers "win." They'll be useless. Their sugar daddy financiers won't tolerate them farking around with the economy (and therefore, their own bottom lines).

He was following their orders. His wife works at Goldman Sachs. Shes an investment counselor that specializes in shorts and he cant go to jail for insider trading. They can do this maneuver once a quarter for maximum profits.

So the Tea Party as elaborate scheme to pump and dump the investments market.

Generation_D:quickdraw: Diogenes: Fine. Let Ted and Teabaggers "win." They'll be useless. Their sugar daddy financiers won't tolerate them farking around with the economy (and therefore, their own bottom lines).

He was following their orders. His wife works at Goldman Sachs. Shes an investment counselor that specializes in shorts and he cant go to jail for insider trading. They can do this maneuver once a quarter for maximum profits.

So the Tea Party as elaborate scheme to pump and dump the investments market.

Seems like in some economies this would be illegal and prosecutable.

Wonder if anyone thinks it should be in ours.

Remember: regulation is the jobs destroyer.

You have to let derpers manipulate and sabotage markets because the solution, namely regulation, would destroy jobs.

clkeagle:mrshowrules: SlothB77: A long way out, but right now for me it is a two-man race for the Republican presidential nomination for 2016:

Chris Christie and Ted Cruz.

I don't think one is more likely to get the nomination than the other. I think Christie would have a better chance of winning a presidential election against a democrat than Cruz would.

The traditional pattern would make Paul Ryan the most likely nominee. Ted Cruz has zero chance of winning (that is why I would like to see him get nominated). Christie is too sane for the tea baggers. They need someone like Romney to try and bridge both factions and proceed to lose terribly.

The traditional pattern favors Santorum. He's also been keeping quiet during this fiscal circus... probably to avoid arming his opponents.

"When it came to the issues of changing the definition of marriage, there was no change - none! Zero! For 30 years," Santorum said at the Midwest Republican Leadership Conference last month. "And then a television show came on the air called Will and Grace - and look at it from that point on!"

SlothB77:A long way out, but right now for me it is a two-man race for the Republican presidential nomination for 2016:

Chris Christie and Ted Cruz.

I don't think one is more likely to get the nomination than the other. I think Christie would have a better chance of winning a presidential election against a democrat than Cruz would.

In other news, water is wet.

While it is far too early to speculate on who the GOP nominee will be in 2016, I'd note that all Ted Cruz and his financial backers have to do is show ad after ad of the below and the race will be essentially over:

See, I don't think so. The Iowa right is very conscious of procedural issues regarding same-sex marriage, since they've seen how its borne out there. He can say that he limited the damage by not appealing it to the RINOs on the SCOTUS. All he needs to do is come in better than 4th in IA. The IA winner probably won't win the NH and SC both--its different derpmographics.

Barry Lyndon's Annuity Cheque:It's way too early to even pretend to guess at this. The 2012 GOP primary had a new frontrunner every week, and I'm pretty sure an LED clock powered by a potato was in front of Mitt Romney at one point. The way you win the primary in 2016 is to sit down and shut up for three years, because any and all derp can and will be used against you both by Republicans, for not being derpy enough, and Democrats, for being too derpy.

The difference is that during the 2012 primaries, you had a bunch of clowns all trying to be what Ted Cruz actually is. You can't outderp the derp master.

Serious Black:While it is far too early to speculate on who the GOP nominee will be in 2016, I'd note that all Ted Cruz and his financial backers have to do is show ad after ad of the below and the race will be essentially over:

This is why Walker will come in ahead of Christie in the primaries. Not the gay marriage thing.

Jackpot777:clkeagle: mrshowrules: SlothB77: A long way out, but right now for me it is a two-man race for the Republican presidential nomination for 2016:

Chris Christie and Ted Cruz.

I don't think one is more likely to get the nomination than the other. I think Christie would have a better chance of winning a presidential election against a democrat than Cruz would.

The traditional pattern would make Paul Ryan the most likely nominee. Ted Cruz has zero chance of winning (that is why I would like to see him get nominated). Christie is too sane for the tea baggers. They need someone like Romney to try and bridge both factions and proceed to lose terribly.

The traditional pattern favors Santorum. He's also been keeping quiet during this fiscal circus... probably to avoid arming his opponents.

Au contraire. He turned his own derp up to eleven.

"When it came to the issues of changing the definition of marriage, there was no change - none! Zero! For 30 years," Santorum said at the Midwest Republican Leadership Conference last month. "And then a television show came on the air called Will and Grace - and look at it from that point on!"

Will And Grace.

Yikes. So okay... he was keeping quiet about the fiscal circus. Attacking teh homogayz is hardly going to hurt his standing among the base.